“It wasn’t all that tight,”she said as she draped it on top of her wedding gown. “Actually, it was among the most comfortable corsets I’ve worn.”
Before she could turn around,Ryan’s hands returned to her waist, pulling her against his chest. She could feel each of his muscles and track each breath he took. Heat rolled off of him, and she couldn’t bring herself to pull away.
“I’m nae complainin’about ye askin’ me for help,” he said against her ear. Her chest heaved with the effort of keeping her lungs filled with air. “But ye need to be careful what ye ask of me.”
She swallowed hard,her body leaning further into his without her mind’s permission. He let it happen, encouraged it, even. His grip was tight and steady. It kept her anchored to the earth even though she felt as if she might float away.
“Wha… what do you mean?”Margaret managed to ask. Her voice was too high-pitched. The feeling in her stomach and between her legs was threatening to overtake her entire being.
“I mean to tell ye,”Ryan said, his tone dipping dangerously low. His lips brushed the shell of her ear, and Margaret was unable to hide the shudder that ripped through her. “I was holdin’ back while I was takin’ off yer corset. Next time, I cannae promise that I’ll be able to control meself.”
Margaret’s breath hitched.She bit down on her bottom lip nearly hard enough to draw blood. If the Laird was expecting an answer, he didn’t show it. Instead, he gave her hips one final squeeze, a touch that felt like a promise, and let go of her. As he gave her space, her mind reeled.
WouldI have even tried to stop him if he had pushed further? Or would I have simply allowed him to take whatever he wanted? Would it be so bad if I found myself wanting the same thing he did?
17
“He hasnae spoken yet?” Ryan asked, scrubbing his hand over his face as Colby stretched himself out on the armchair in Ryan’s study.
“Nay,”Colby said. “Seems he’s protectin’ whoever hired him.”
Ryan gruntedas he processed that. There were plenty of reasons someone might protect the identity of the person who hired them to carry out a murder. Perhaps there was money involved or threats on the man’s family. Or perhaps it was pride.
“We may haveto try another method to get him to talk,” Colby continued, raising an eyebrow at Ryan. “I have some ideas if ye need them.”
“I daenaecare for yer ideas, Colby,” Ryan said, leveling him with a glare. “I have me own ideas. Ye ken the man and whoever paid him will be brought to justice.”
“Ach, ye’re nay fun,”Colby groaned before rising to his feet. “And ye’ve gone soft. What happened to the Ryan Morris that everyone kent as ruthless and battle-hungry?”
“I’m nae soft, ye bastard,”Ryan said, resisting the urge to punch his best friend. “I’m tryin’ to make sure we catch the man who ordered the hit on me cousin. I cannae be rash here, nae matter how much I want to bash his skull in.”
“Well,if ye ever change yer mind, I’m happy to help with me methods.”
“I thinkI should be worried about ye,” Ryan murmured. “Maybe I’ll call a priest to make sure there’s nothin’ wrong with ye.”
Colby laughedwith his whole body, clapping a hand over the Laird’s shoulder. With a grin, he said, “Yer sense of humor’s comin’ back.”
Ryan kept his face blank.That only seemed to push Colby further. He let out another laugh, shaking the Laird slightly.
“It’s yer new wife,the Sassenach,” he said, so assured of himself that Ryan couldn’t help but roll his eyes.
Aye,he’s probably right. I’m nae goin’ to give him the satisfaction of admittin’ it, though. He’s already havin’ too much fun.
“And what makes ye say that?”Ryan asked, knocking Colby’s hand off his shoulder. “I’m inclined to believe ye’re just seein’ what ye want to see.”
“Ye teaseher the way ye used to tease Aaron before yer cousin passed away,” Colby said. “It’s like the old Ryan is finally comin’ back.”
The words made Ryan freeze.When his cousin passed away, he was forced to take the title of Laird and leave his best friend and the clan he led. Before that loss, though, Ryan was a completely different person. He’d laughed easily, told jokes with the men he fought with. And most notably, he didn’t use to stay at Castle McGhee.
He wassure Colby wasn’t referring to the period of his life when he’d been a bit of a rogue, though.
“Ye’ve been eavesdroppin’,”Ryan said.
As Ryan reflectedon the past few days, he had to admit that Colby had a point. Hedidenjoy teasing Margaret. Though he’d argue that she made it easy, and no one else in the castle reacted to him the way that she did. It wasn’t quite as entertaining to get under anyone else’s skin.
“Eavesdroppin’?”Colby asked. “Nay. I was just watchin’ the two of ye at the cèilidh yesterday. Seemed as though ye couldnae stop pokin’ fun at her.”
“Perhaps everyone was simplyin good spirits,” Ryan suggested.